Leonardo, Donatello, Michelangelo, Raphael and Truex??? Now I don't claim to know much about the fictional reptiles known as the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles”, but I do know one thing for sure... Martin Truex Jr. and the Furniture Row Team headed to Chicago on a roll. After a win at Darlington and a third place finish at Richmond, it seems that the streak of bad luck that had plagued Truex all summer long was now gone. Would the good luck continue in the Windy City? Only time would tell.

Once again qualifying was rained out. The starting lineup would be set by points. Truex was fast in practice, putting down the fifth fastest time in the 2nd practice, and the seventh fastest in the final practice. Martin would start the first Chase race from the 6th position. Kyle Busch was on the pole. The field was set for 400 miles at the 1.5 mile oval in Illinois, just 267 laps to advance to the second round of the Chase.

It was a beautiful, sunny day in Chicago. The race started well for Martin. By lap 12 he had moved up to third. By lap 20, he was second. And on lap 22, Martin passed Kyle Busch for the lead. The #78 Toyota Camry was fast, and MTJ would continue to lead until lap 51, when the caution came out for a loose tire on pit road. After pitting, Martin didn't restart in the lead, but quickly worked his way back to second behind the current race leader Jimmie Johnson. He would keep that 2nd position until lap 68, when he had a right front tire come apart. He brought the car to pit road for a 4 tire change, and came back out one lap down.

Truex would have to battle his way back if he was going to have a shot at finishing in the top five. And MTJ did just that, even after an unfortunate encounter with Kevin Harvick on lap 132. Harvick got into the left side of the #78, a move that Martin felt was intentional. Martin pitted for a tire rub, and continued his fight back to the top ten. On lap 191, the caution came out for debris on the backstretch. Truex pitted along with the entire field, and came back out in eighth, and it was “Game on”!!!

On lap 222, Martin took 4th from Denny Hamlin, then quickly moved into 3rd behind Jimmie Johnson and the current race leader Chase Elliott. By lap 234, he took 2nd from Johnson. Green flag stops began, and Johnson was penalized for speeding on pit road. Ryan Blaney was the new race leader. After a few short laps, Truex was back to 2nd behind Elliott who had regained the lead. They would run this way with Truex gaining on the #24 until lap 263, when the caution came out for the #95 of Michael McDowell. On lap 265, the leaders came down pit road. Blaney, Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards stayed out. Truex came off pit road in first, and would restart in fourth.

It was lap 268, and the green flag flew on NASCAR's first overtime attempt at a green-white-checkered finish. Truex quickly moved out of line and passed Blaney for the lead. Martin took the white flag and never looked back. The #78 got the first win in the Chase, and Truex is now locked into the second round!

After the race, Martin was asked about the bad luck he suffered on lap 68. He said, “Don't give up, just keep digging, and there was only one way to go with that tonight. On one hand I thought the bad luck was going to bite us and on the other, we had a lot of time to battle back. We're lucky it happened early and we were able to have an awesome race car all day long.” (foxsports.com)

“I feel like any racetrack, any weekend, anywhere in the country we can win,” Truex said. (sbnation.com)

After an elated Truex celebrated in Victory Lane with his team, there would be some bad news. The #78 car failed post-race inspection. It was a minor penalty, but one, in my opinion, that would more than likely cause NASCAR to pay closer attention to the car and the team during the rest of the playoffs. According to www.sbnation.com, Furniture Row Racing said in a statement that the “Left-rear wheel alignment on Truex's car didn't meet NASCAR's specifications by 'approximately ten-thousandths of an inch' when going through the Laser Inspection Station”. “The team contends that the damage was caused when Kevin Harvick body-slammed the No. 78 car mid-race, an incident Truex believes was deliberate.” (sbnation.com) Kevin Harvick did not speak with reporters after the race.

“Typically, it's real easy not to run into somebody's left rear on the straightaway,” Truex said. “As far as I could tell, he did it on purpose. All I can do is assume that and wait for him to tell me otherwise.” (sbnation.com)

The #48 car of Jimmie Johnson also failed post-race inspection.

In all honesty, I am also a fan of Kevin Harvick. I feel that I should disclose that fact, especially since I, too, think that it did look like Harv intentionally brushed the left side of Martin's car. That being said, I would hope it was just a racing incident, and that the 2 drivers would be able to move on from this incident.

Now for some more good news. On Wednesday after the race, NASCAR announced that it will “Solidify its post-race inspection penalty structure for infractions stemming from the laser inspection station (LIS), eliminating the P2 and P3 levels for those violations. The P4 level for LIS infractions remains, and violations at this level will remain encumbered”, according to NASCAR.com. “NASCAR announced that neither the No. 78 driven by Martin Truex Jr nor the No. 48 driven by Jimmie Johnson will be penalized for failing post-race LIS following last Sunday's (race at) Chicagoland Speedway.” (NASCAR.com)

UP NEXT: The Bad Boy Off Road 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

Since February 2014, Truex has had 1 top 10 finish at the track. In the previous race in July, Martin finished 16th. Last September, he was 8th. (driveraverages.com)

On Friday, Truex and Harvick discussed their on-track incident last Sunday at Chicagoland.

“We did talk. We're fine; we're good to go,” Truex said at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. “We just talked about what our perspectives were on it and agreed that it's over, it's done with and we'll move on and race like we always have, which is hard – very hard – we've raced very hard, but always clean. So we agreed that it was a racing deal and we'll move forward.” (NASCAR.com)

Truex also commented on not being penalized after failing post-race inspection at Chicago.

“It's such a little thing and it so easily could've went the other way, it's frustrating that it kind of taints your win a little bit, honestly,” Truex said. “That's the biggest part for me and for my guys. I don't want people to look at them or us as cheaters, for 10 thousandths of an inch. It's really nothing.” (NASCAR.com)

Martin qualified the #78 in the second starting position behind pole sitter Carl Edwards. Best of luck to the entire Furniture Row team this Sunday. Go get that lobsta!!!

Martin Truex Jr... talented race car driver, all around good guy, dedicated family man, fisherman, friend to many, respected by his peers, and for some unknown reason... incredibly unlucky! At least it would seem that way ever since his huge win at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600. Bad luck seemed to be following Martin everywhere, until this past weekend! Impending weather caused NASCAR to cancel all on-track activities on Friday. Unfortunately qualifying was rained out, but based on points, Martin had a decent starting spot for the Southern 500. The #78 team was fast in practice, just as they have been every weekend this season. Would this race finally break the unlucky curse? This writer and fans watched in anticipation and with fingers crossed!

Luckily, the NASCAR gods smiled on Darlington, and Tropical Storm Hermine left South Carolina as quickly as it came. Sunday was a beautiful day, setting the scene for an amazing race. It was a “throwback” weekend, remembering the legends and the “Hall of Famers” of NASCAR and their iconic paint schemes. For Martin and his primary sponsor of the day Auto Owners Insurance, it was a blue paint scheme honoring the 100th year of the company. And for Martin, a special firesuit honoring independent insurance agents and their typical attire from back in 1916. (Race Chaser Online)

Based on the point standings, Kevin Harvick was the pole sitter, and would lead the field to green for the Bojangles' Southern 500. Not only was it a throwback weekend, it was also the last Darlington race for Tony Stewart. All signs pointed to this being a magical night at the “track that was too tough to tame”, and NASCAR didn't disappoint. Neither did Martin Truex Jr, even though he started the race in 8th, and was basically an average-performing car all night. That is, until Lap 339, when he passed Ryan Newman and took the lead.

​Harvick had led 214 laps, and there's no denying that he had the best car on this particular night, but it was Truex's team that came through for him in the clutch. Finally, and somewhat unfortunately for Harvick, the Auto Owners/Furniture Row team broke the unlucky curse! After an incredible pit stop on Lap 351, Truex came out in first, and he stayed there for the rest of the race. Martin only led 28 laps the entire night, and amazingly enough, he led the last lap...the only one that really mattered! Martin Truex Jr... Southern 500 Champ!!! Wow! It couldn't have happened to a nicer, more-deserving guy!!

MTJ was in Victory Lane for the 2nd time this season. “This is unbelievable,” said Truex. “I've always loved this race track. I've led a lot of laps here in my career, but something always happens, and I'm so proud to get to Victory Lane with this group. The pit crew was flawless tonight – they won us the race.” (NASCAR.com) “Tonight we weren't the best car for once and we actually won,” Truex said. (Yahoo Sports)

“We've been one of the fastest, if not the fastest, all summer long, Truex said. “Everywhere we've been. And we've had a lot of rotten luck. It was worth having all that luck if that's what it takes to get a Southern 500 trophy.” (Yahoo Sports) “I'm just humbled,” he said. (The Associated Press)

Martin has now won two of NASCAR's crown jewel races, and he was oh-so-close to winning NASCAR's “Triple Crown”, just missing the win at Daytona back in February.

This Southern 500 win leaves me with high hopes for Martin's chances in the Chase. And, although it might sound corny, with a silly but fitting thought in my head... Winner, Winner... Chicken Dinner!! How appropriate since the race sponsor was Bojangles', a popular fast food chain that's famous for it's Chicken n' Biscuits! Go ahead and laugh, but I bet you'll remember this when Truex is racing for the Championship at Homestead!!! Best of luck to Martin, Sherry, Cole and the entire Furniture Row team as they go after that coveted Sprint Cup trophy!!!

UP NEXT: RichmondIn the last five races at this short track, Martin has an average finish of 17th. He was 9th in the race back in April.

August 7, 2016It was a beautiful weekend in the Finger Lakes Region of New York. NASCAR was front and center for the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen, the second and final road course race of the season. The Furniture Row team came to win, and they unloaded with a fast Toyota Camry! Truex was fastest in the first practice, and second fastest in the 2nd practice. Qualifying, however, didn't go as they hoped.

Martin was quick in the first round of qualifying until he was slowed down by the #17 car of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. While going through the esses, Truex came up on Stenhouse who wasn't up to speed on the track. He slowed to avoid making contact with the #17, causing him to fail to advance to the second round. Martin was obviously frustrated with Stenhouse.

“He was just leaving pit road and he wasn't in a hurry to get anywhere. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense why he would've done what he did except for the fact that he just wasn't paying attention,” an understandably annoyed Truex explained in his TV interview. “It's a shame, we still almost made it to the second round. I don't know what you can do about it.” (motorsport.com) Martin qualified 14th. Carl Edwards won the pole.

Sunday's weather at the Glen was amazing. The sun illuminated the newly repaved race track in front of a sold out crowd. Edwards led the field to the green, and the Cheez-It 355 was underway.

The lead would change several times throughout the race. There were 8 cautions, including 2 red flags for NASCAR to clean up after big wrecks. Martin ran as high as 3rd, and towards the end of the race, it looked as if he would definitely finish in the top 5. With just a few laps to go, Brad Keselowski got into the rear of the #78 causing Martin to spin out. Luckily he didn't wreck, but it hurt his chances of a top 3 finish. Denny Hamlin won the race, followed by Logano, Keselowski, Allmendinger and Stewart.

After the race, Martin had an “on track” discussion with Brad, roughing the #2 car up a bit, and expressing his displeasure with BK. Afterwards, Brad went to Martin's pit box to apologize. It was a classy gesture by Kes, but it didn't change the fact that Martin was forced to finish 7th after a great day of road racing. Truex was asked about their conversation on pit road. “He (Keselowski) said it was his fault. I knew that,” said Truex. “Simple as that. It's all good. It's just good, hard racing. I just wanted him to know I wasn't happy after the race.” (FoxSports.com) While 7th place is quite respectable, and nothing to be ashamed of, it was however just another disappointing finish for MTJ. Hopefully the off week will be relaxing and rejuvenating for Martin, Cole and the entire team.

Up next is short track racing at Bristol Motor Speedway. Truex finished 14th there back in April. I'm looking forward to a great Saturday night of “beatin and bangin” at NASCAR's last great coliseum! Good luck to Martin and the Furniture Row team! Go get that much deserved and well overdue second win of the season!!!

In other Furniture Row Team news, they announced that they are expanding to a two car team in 2017. Joe Gibbs Racing Xfinity driver Erik Jones has signed a one year deal to drive the new “5 Hour Energy” #77 Camry. Congrats to Erik on his new partnership with Furniture Row!

August 1, 2016The Furniture Row team came to Pocono with the same #78 Toyota Camry that dominated the Coca-Cola 600 back in May. MTJ was fast from the moment they unloaded. In the first practice, Martin posted the 6th fastest time, and in the second practice, he was at the top of the speed charts. He qualified the #78 on the Pole, his 3rd pole of the season. All signs pointed to a great race weekend for Truex, everything but the rain! Pocono Raceway was a soggy mess, and the race had to be postponed until Monday, a repeat of what also happened in NASCAR's first trip to the “Tricky Triangle” back in June.

Now I don't know about you, but I really don't like Mondays, and I especially hate races on Monday! Luckily I have a great boss who didn't mind me watching it in my office. (Lol...thanks Courtney!!) Needless to say, it wasn't a very productive day! And unfortunately, it turned out to be a bad day for MTJ!

Martin led the field to the green, and he would lead the first 16 laps before NASCAR threw the competition caution. He won the race off pit road, and restarted 3rd behind Keselowski and Biffle who did not pit. It appeared that he would retake the lead, but on Lap 20 he got into the wall in Turn 2. He brought the car to pit road for repairs, and would be scored a lap down when he returned to the track. On Lap 40, Truex had a flat right front tire. He took the car to the garage for repairs. He was back in the race on Lap 59. Despite the efforts of Crew Chief Cole Pearn and the team, the #78 just wasn't the same car it was in the beginning. Martin struggled, and on Lap 98 he hit the wall again, this time in Turn 1. He took the car to the garage and they called it quits for the day.

The weather started to deteriorate, and the fog began to roll in. On Lap 138 NASCAR threw the red flag due to the lack of visibility on the track. They brought the cars down pit road with the #34 car of Chris Buescher in the lead. After waiting for a while to see if it would clear up, NASCAR decided to call the race. The rookie got his first Sprint Cup win. Congrats to Chris and that entire team! Keselowski was 2nd, followed by Regan Smith, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart rounding out the Top 5. Truex finished 38th.

“Just blew a right front (tire),” Truex said of the first incident. “A lug nut bounced off the ground, fell in behind the wheel on a pit stop. It's just bad luck honestly. I knew something wasn't right in (Turn) one and two and I got real tight off of (Turn) two on that restart and went down the back and was like, 'Ah, it feels OK.' And, as I got closer to the tunnel turn I felt it start to go down and by the time I let off and tried to slow down it was just going straight for the fence.” (Nascar.com)

“The car was so good. I was literally on cruise control and driving away. I don't know – frustrating but it's racing I guess.” (Nascar.com)

UP NEXT – WATKINS GLEN:Martin has never won at the Glen. In 2015, he led five laps and finished 25th. He was 13th in 2014. MTJ does have a win at Sonoma, and is a pretty darn good road racer in my opinion. I'm hoping for better weather and much better luck for the #78 team!! FINGERS ARE CROSSED!!!

July 24, 2016Truex and team arrived at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway with a whole new look for the #78 Toyota Camry. Gone was the familiar red and black car. This car was bright blue and white, and displayed a new sponsor on the hood... Auto-Owners Insurance. It was a sharp looking car, but would it be fast? Would Martin get his chance to “kiss the bricks” at the end of this 400 mile race? Only time would tell.

It was a weekend filled with pageantry, speed and big headlines. Jeff Gordon was coming out of retirement to sub for the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr, who was suffering from the recurrence of concussion like symptoms. And it would be Tony Stewart's final race at Indy. And if that wasn't enough, it would be one of the biggest races of the season. One that every NASCAR driver wants to win... the Brickyard 400!

Truex was good from the time they unloaded, laying down the 10th fastest speed in the first practice. The team worked on the car, and Martin was 8th quickest in the second practice. He qualified well, and earned the 8th starting spot for Sunday's race. Kyle Busch won the Pole, followed by Edwards, Stewart, Hamlin and Keselowski.

The race started calmly, and Martin kept the #78 Auto-Owners Camry in the Top 10 for the first 50 laps or so. On Lap 52, the first of eight cautions came out, with Greg Biffle hitting the wall. After pit stops, Truex came back out in 5th, and he would run in the Top 5 for the rest of the race. By Lap 135, Truex was up to 2nd and looking to catch Kyle Busch. But that didn't happen. On Lap 154, there was a big pile up on the restart causing NASCAR to throw the red flag. The wreck involved Edwards, Newman, Blaney, Patrick and Keselowski. After the clean up, the race was forced into overtime, and eventually even a second overtime. Kyle Busch couldn't be caught, and went on to win the race for the second year in a row. Martin finished 8th and wasn't thrilled with all the cautions at the end of the race.

“They were wrecking all over the place on those restarts and that was costly for us,” said Truex. “Our Auto-Owners Insurance Toyota was fast all day, but being caught in the outside lane for those restarts at the end really hurt out chances.” (thedenverchannel.com)

“With all those cautions at the end and being in the outside lane on older tires made if difficult for us,” said Crew Chief Cole Pearn. “Not much you can do when you're in that position. Considering all the things that happened at the end and finishing in the top 10 wasn't all that bad. We had a great car, proud of everyone at Furniture Row Racing, Toyota and JGR.” (thedenverchannel.com)

“We really didn't have much for Kyle, he was pretty much in his own league by a long-shot,” said Pearn. “But had those cautions not come out we had a pretty good lead over the third place car.” (thedenverchannel.com)

Truex is seventh in driver points, and he's ninth in Chase points.

Next up is the Tricky Triangle in Long Pond, PA. Martin got a huge win there back in June 2015. When NASCAR was at Pocono a few weeks ago, MTJ finished 19th. Here's hoping for better results this time! Best of luck to Martin and the entire Furniture Row Team!!

Pocono Preview:It seems to be starting out very well. Martin qualified the #78 on the Pole, in the same car he won in, or should I say dominated in, at Charlotte back in May. Hope to see that black #78 in Victory Lane Sunday!

If It Weren't For Bad LuckNew Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway

July 17, 2016​Truex Jr and the Team headed to the Magic Mile, a one mile oval in Loudon, New Hampshire. They were fastest in the first practice, but struggled in the second and third practices. Martin ran the 11th fastest time in the second and he was 13th in the third. He qualified well, earning the 3rd starting spot. Jimmie Johnson won the Pole.

Martin ran in the Top 5 for the first 35 laps of the race. On Lap 35, NASCAR threw a Competition Caution. After pitting, Truex came out 2nd, where he would stay until Lap 88, when he caught Kyle Busch and passed him for the lead. Martin would hold on to the lead until Lap 171 when Kyle would get the lead back.

Truex kept 2nd until Lap 219 when the caution came out for debris. After a great pit stop, Truex came out first. The #78 was fast, and he held off a hard-charging Matt Kenseth until Lap 257. On Lap 264, caution was out again for debris. Martin pitted, but would lose a few spots after having issues with the shifter. The car was stuck in fourth gear making restarts really hard. The broken shifter would prevent Martin from finishing in the Top 10. Unfortunately, bad luck struck the Furniture Row Team once again. Truex finished 16th. Kenseth won the race.

“We weren't that good (in practice), but the guys went to work (Saturday) night and we had some good ideas,” Truex said. “We talked about it and some things stuck out to Cole and the guys, things they thought we needed to work on just based on what I felt.

“All in all, it was a total team effort and the pit crew was great, the best they've been all year by far. We're doing everything right, but we're taking some on the chin here. But this isn't when it counts so we'll just keep our heads up and keep working. Our race cars are fast and everyone's doing a great job. Sooner or later we'll get everything straight.” (foxsports.com)

July 9, 2016Truex and the Furniture Row Team arrived in the Bluegrass State looking for their second win of the season. Expectations were high. Martin has led the most laps so far this year on mile and a half tracks. Odds were definitely in their favor. They practiced well and had a fast Toyota Camry. Unfortunately, qualifying was rained out and the field was set by owner points. Kevin Harvick would start from the Pole position. MTJ started 7th. There would be a Competition Caution at Lap 25.

Martin was fast from the start and quickly moved up to 3rd. By Lap 3, he was second, and he held that position until the Competition Caution came out. He restarted 7th, and by Lap 60 he was chasing Brad Keselowski for the lead. Martin was out front on Lap 63, and for the next 100 laps or so, he battled Kevin Harvick in the #4 car, trading back and forth between first and second.

On Lap 196, pit stops began. Harvick and Truex came down pit road. Martin passed Harvick getting into his pit stall, and came out first, followed by Harvick, Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Keselowski. Before the field was set to go green, NASCAR penalized the #78 for an “improper pass” on pit road, and Truex had to restart at the back of the field in the 22nd position.

Keselowski quickly took the lead, and for the next 40 laps, Martin put on a “driving clinic” for the rest of the field. He was fast, moving from 22nd to 3rd, showing just how good he is on the intermediate tracks. It was an impressive effort by MTJ. Some of the drivers were told to save fuel, and Crew Chief Cole Pearn did say that Martin was probably 1 lap short. With only a few laps to go, the #78 was shuffled back in the field slightly, and would finish the night in the 10th spot. Brad Keselowski won the race, followed by Edwards, Newman, Kurt Busch and Stewart.

After the race, Martin was fired up about the penalty that ultimately kept him from possibly getting his second win of the year. “I’m not sure why we got penalized,” Truex said. “It’s a timing line thing, everybody does it. You get your line and you gas it up to your pit, it’s what I did. I don’t know. I guess it wasn’t my night on that deal. It’s frustrating, we had the car to beat and I felt like if we didn’t get (Harvick) on the pit stop, we weren’t going to be able to pass him. It was so hard to pass. “We came out with the lead and they took it away from us. It’s just the way it goes I guess.” (SBNation.com) Crew Chief Cole Pearn protested the call with NASCAR but was unsuccessful.

Heartbreak AgainCoke Zero 400 at DaytonaJuly 2, 2016After a heartbreaking loss in the Daytona 500, Truex Jr. returned to the track where he almost won the biggest race in NASCAR. I can't speak for Martin, nor do I know how he was feeling, but I would think he probably felt pretty good about his chances at getting a win. Why wouldn't he? He lost the 500 by only a few inches.

I went into the weekend feeling incredibly good about Martin's chances at redemption! The Furniture Row Team looked poised and ready to get Truex his first Sprint Cup win at the most famous track on the NASCAR schedule. Martin practiced well, and he qualified 15th, a respectable starting position. Greg Biffle won the pole, and would lead the field to green on Saturday night.

The 16 car started out front, but was passed quickly by Carl Edwards, and the Coke Zero 400 was underway. MTJ was running in the top 18 when the “competition caution” came out on Lap 20. Drivers came into the pits with different strategies in place. The #78 team chose to not take any tires, and Martin would gain 11 spots on the track, restarting in the 7th position. By Lap 29, Martin was up to 3rd. He would continue to run in the top 5, and on Lap 52, he took the lead from Brad Keselowski. It didn't last long, and the #2 car took the lead back on Lap 53. Truex would fall back into the top 10 where he would settle in for a few laps.

Unfortunately, on Lap 89, the caution would come out for “the BIG one”, and bad luck would strike the Furniture Row Team and MTJ once again! The #78 was caught up in a huge wreck, triggered by the #1 car of Jamie McMurray. He got loose, and the melee ensued. NASCAR confirmed that 22 cars were involved in the wreck, more than half of the field.

Crew Chief Cole Pearn and the team went to work on the Furniture Row Chevy patching it up well enough to get Martin back out on the track, after more than 30 laps in the garage. He finished the race in 29th. Thankfully it wasn't a DNF. Brad Keselowski won the race, getting his first win at Daytona, and giving Team Penske it's 100th victory in Sprint Cup. Congrats to those guys on that great accomplishment.

“We were right smack in the middle of this unnecessary accident and took big-time hits from all different directions,” explained Truex. “Someone just made a questionable move out there and a lot of other people paid the price. We happened to be one of those teams. We did the best we could to fix the car, but it took a severe beating. Hats off to our guys for getting our car back on track.” (paddocktalk.com)

“We still had plenty of time to get back up there and make some noise,” said Truex. “But never got the chance. Oh well, just write it off to superspeedway racing.” (paddocktalk.com)

Martin did gain a spot in the points, moving from 8th to 7th place in the point standings. Now it's on to Kentucky for another Saturday night race under the lights. This 1.5 mile track in the “Bluegrass State” was just repaved, and will hopefully make for a great race. Truex has been stellar on mile and a half tracks so far this season, and next week shouldn't be any different!!

June Race RecapAxalta “We Paint Winners” 400 at Pocono Raceway – June 6, 2016FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway – June 12, 2016Toyota – Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway – June 26, 2016​Truex rolled into Pocono as the defending race winner, having won last year's June race at the “Tricky Triangle”. It was a stellar performance and the feel-good story of 2015. Coming off a huge win at Charlotte the week before, it seemed that the team had momentum on it's side. MTJ practiced well and qualified a respectable 17th. Brad Keselowski won the pole.

Mother Nature wasn't cooperating with NASCAR, and after a great deal of rain, the race was postponed until Monday. It started as expected, with Keselowski and his teammate Logano out front, trading the lead back and forth. On Lap 16, there was a “competition caution” since there had been so much rain and all the rubber had been washed off the track. The drivers all came to pit road, and as Martin was pulling out of the #78 stall, he was run over by the #83 car, driven by Matt DiBenedetto. The left front of the Furniture Row Toyota was damaged, so Martin brought the car back to pit road for repairs. The team patched up the car, and he was able to return to the race.

Truex would bring the car back for adjustments several times, but it just wasn't his day. There was one bright spot though on Lap 119, when MTJ led the race off pit road. However, it was short-lived, and on Lap 120, he had to pit for a tire problem. Martin finished 19th which isn't terrible, but obviously not the way he wanted it to go. Kurt Busch won the race.

So Truex and the Furniture Row team headed to the Irish Hills of Michigan hoping for better results, and it started out well. Martin qualified 2nd, earning a spot on the front row. Joey Logano won the pole. The command to start engines was given by Miesha Tate, UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. Logano brought the field to green, and Truex wasted no time passing him. Martin led the 1st lap, and would keep the lead until Lap 11 when Logano got the lead back. Truex was running 2nd, and on Lap 39, green flag pit stops began. Truex kept his track position after pitting, and was solidly in 2nd place.

On Lap 46, Martin brought out the caution when he spun in Turn 4 after contact with the #15 car driven by Clint Bowyer. The team repaired the car after a couple of trips to pit road. It would be a long day, but Martin kept the #78 in the top 20 for most of it. Logano continued to lead, but was passed by Chase Elliott, and the two would swap the lead for several laps. On Lap 148, green flag stops began. Everyone took 4 tires except MTJ, who only took 2. He came off pit road in 4th, gaining some valuable track position.

Unfortunately, bad luck would strike again, and on Lap 153 Martin made contact with the #24 car of Elliott. Logano reclaimed the lead and kept it for the rest of the race. After 400 miles, Joey Logano won the race. Truex finished 12th. It was definitely time for a much needed break, and the teams all had a week off before they headed to Wine Country.

Up next was Sonoma, the first road course of the season. The weather was beautiful. No rain in sight. Martin has one win here, and in this writer's opinion, is a really good road racer. After some great practice sessions, Truex qualified the #78 Toyota in the 3rd starting position for Sunday's race. Carl Edwards won the pole.

It would be a much better race day for Martin. After qualifying 3rd, he ran in the top five all day. He finished 5th. Tony Stewart won the race. After an early exit from last year's race and a dismal 42nd place finish, Truex was pleased with his performance, commenting that fifth place looked “pretty good in comparison”. (www.9news.com)

“I felt that our Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Toyota was the best car, we just couldn't get track position,” Truex said. “Every time we would get past the guys that we were racing, a caution would come out and those guys would beat us out of the pits. Little frustrated with that.” (www.9news.com) MTJ is eighth in the points and is solidly in the Chase with his win at Charlotte. Now it's off to Daytona, where Martin just barely missed winning in February, coming up just inches short to Denny Hamlin.

News Off The Track:Happy Belated Birthday to Martin!!! He celebrated his 36th birthday on June 29!

May 29, 2016After a season of great starts and disappointing finishes, only two words can describe Martin Truex Jr.'s performance in the Coca-Cola 600... Total Dominance!!! Truex led 588 of 600 miles at CMS Sunday night. He qualified the 78 Toyota Camry on the pole, and after starting first, he never looked back. Martin was out front all night, all but 8 laps in the longest race of the season. I think I was holding my breath for the last 100 laps, as I stood in front of the TV hoping nothing bad would happen to ruin this incredible run for the 78 team. All I can say is “WOW”! So happy for Martin, his girlfriend Sherry, Crew Chief Cole Pearn and the entire Furniture Row team!

Some fans might say that it was a boring race, since there was very little drama, wrecks or issues on pit road. I can see where some people might feel that way, but not me. I choose to see it for what it was...a masterful performance by an incredibly talented driver. And no one deserves this win more than Martin! After several disappointing finishes, including the super close finish at the Daytona 500, Truex has earned all the accolades he is receiving for winning the Coke 600.

Furniture Row brought a fast Toyota Camry to Charlotte, which was evident as Martin was quickest in practice and qualifying. Earning the pole for NASCAR's longest, most grueling race of the season was just the beginning of what would be a history making night for Truex. Not only did he lead the most laps in the race, it was the most laps ever led in a single race in NASCAR history. Martin achieved a perfect driver rating of 150.0, the first of his career. (NASCAR Wire Service)

“I had confidence,” Truex said. “I had faith. I had confidence in my team. I've got a lot of great people behind me. Sherry, she gives me a lot of inspiration. And we keep on fighting. We never give up. We never quit. We always keep digging, and I'm proud of my guys for sticking by me. They all did a great job tonight. There are so many fans that have supported us the last few years with so many heartbreaks. I really appreciate that. I really had fun tonight.” (NASCAR Wire Service)

Before the race, NASCAR paid tribute to the brave men and women that serve and protect our country each and every day. The Members of our Military deserve our prayers and praise every day of the year, not just on Memorial Day. I am proud to live in the USA, and I thank God for the freedom we have in this country. It was heartwarming to see names of some of our fallen soldiers on the windshields of all the cars in the race. I just want to say “thank you” to their families for their service.

So after a huge win, an amazing burnout and a celebration in Victory Lane, what's next for Truex? That would be the “Tricky Triangle”, the site of his last win before this one. I'm excited to see the 78 Toyota Camry return to the superspeedway in the Pocono Mountains of Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Best of luck to Martin, Cole and the entire team! I've got a really good feeling about this one!!!​NEWS OFF THE TRACK: Martin and Sherry recently hosted the 7th Annual “Catwalk for a Cause” in support of Pediatric Cancer and Ovarian Cancer, in conjunction with the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation. Learn more about this incredible event at www.martintruexjrfoundation.org. You can also follow them on Twitter @MTJFoundation.

March 6, 2016It's week three, and the 78 team headed to Las Vegas, the first stop on NASCAR's West Coast stretch of races. Last season, Truex finished 2nd to Kevin Harvick, his best finish ever at Vegas. After a good run in Atlanta, Martin seemed poised and ready for a victory, although there was a bit of a black cloud hanging over the team's head. For the second week in a row, the 78 Toyota Camry was found to have another roof flap violation in pre-race inspection at AMS. NASCAR suspended Crew Chief Cole Pearn for one race. The team is appealing the penalty, so Pearn was allowed on the box for this race. Could a win be in the cards for MTJ, or would the deck be stacked against him?

Truex didn't seem concerned about the team's penalties while being interviewed at the start of the weekend. He was positive and encouraged by their performance so far this season. “We've got an awesome team,” Truex said Friday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. “I can't say enough about them and what they do and what they've done this off season to prepare.”

“We really have a good chemistry. We have that trust and belief in each other. When I ask my guys about something, I know they're going to figure out how to get it to me. It's just really fun to go to the race track and work together like that as a team and have that confidence in each other. Honestly I've never had a team where I felt more confident in them,” said Truex. (sbnation.com)

Image Courtesy: Motorsport.com

Practice started slow for the Furniture Row team. Truex was 21st in the first practice, and 20th in the second practice. The team worked on the car, and Martin was much better in the 3rd practice, ending up with a 10th place spot on the speed charts. Truex also qualified in the 10th position. Las Vegas native Kurt Busch was on the pole once again.

Sunday's weather was a bit crazy before the race, with high winds and even a few raindrops. This was slightly unusual for Vegas. Overall it was an up and down day for the 78 team. They started slow, but ran in the top 15 most of the race, although occasionally falling back as far as 21st. The weather would be the story of the day, with wind, sand and dust causing visibility problems towards the end of the race. Rain was threatening as well. Truex never led a single lap, but did finish a respectable 11th. Penske prevailed, with Brad Keselowski winning and Joey Logano finishing 2nd.

It was announced that the team would drop it's appeal of the one race suspension of Crew Chief Cole Pearn. He will serve his punishment next week, and will not be on the pit box at Phoenix. Former Furniture Row employee and current JGR employee Todd Berrier will serve as Crew Chief for the 78 Toyota.

NASCAR continues its West Coast stretch in Arizona. Phoenix is up next!!!​​​Send me a tweet: @karijens_kari

Seeking Redemption

February 28, 2016Truex headed into Atlanta coming off an unbelievable finish at Daytona. After an incredible Speedweeks, where Martin experienced the high of almost winning the Great American Race, the team rolled into “Hotlanta” looking for redemption. This would be the first race of the season with the new lower downforce package, and the potential for plenty of slipping and sliding was almost a given at one of NASCAR's slickest tracks on the circuit. Martin ran some fast laps in practice, and qualified the 78 Toyota Camry in the 9th starting spot. Kurt Busch won the pole.

Martin was fast from the start of the race. By lap 10, he was up to 5th, and by lap 12 he was running 3rd behind Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman. On lap 24, Truex passed the 31 car for the 2nd position. He stayed in 2nd for about 10 laps before he was passed by Matt Kenseth. Martin was running 3rd when the first round of green flag pits stops began. He came back out in the top 10, and eventually worked his way back to the front. On lap 118, Truex took the lead. He stayed out front for several laps, before being passed by the 4 car of Kevin Harvick. Martin ran 2nd to Harvick, who appeared to have the car to beat, for a good many laps. MTJ would lead 6 times for a total of 34 laps.

Truex was running 4th when a caution came out with one lap left to go in regulation. He would restart on the outside. The car in front of him spun its tires, and it was a slow start for the 78 Toyota. It looked like Martin might have enough time to regain a few spots, but a multi-car crash on the backstretch ended the race on the first overtime lap. Truex finished 7th. Jimmie Johnson won the race.

“We had one of the cars to beat in the middle of the race and ran in the top three or four the entire day,” said Truex. “That's disappointing to finish where we did. I hated the way the last restart worked out for us. But looking at the big picture, I feel we're starting out the season stronger than the way we ended last season.” (furniturerowracing.com)

Unfortunately, Martin wasn't able to get the win for Furniture Row. But having said that, the 78 Toyota Camry has been fast, and Truex is off to a great start this season. It's only a matter of time before we see Truex and the 78 team in Victory Lane. It's inevitable in my opinion.

NASCAR heads to the West Coast for a 3 week stretch. Up next... Vegas!

Sprint Unlimited, Feb. 13, 2016Can-Am Duel 2 at Daytona, Feb. 18, 2016Daytona 500, Feb. 21, 2016After advancing to the Final Four at Homestead and finishing 4th overall in 2015, Truex Jr is off to a good start so far this season, despite a manufacturer switch from Chevrolet to Toyota. While it usually takes most teams a while to adjust to such a major change, it appears that the Furniture Row team has it figured out. This might have something to do with their new alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing, and a lot to do with the brilliance of Crew Chief Cole Pearn. Martin seems poised to make another run at the Chase, as is evident by his performance already this year. The 78 team as a whole appears to be “Chase-worthy”, in spite of a few hiccups.

The team brought a new Toyota Camry to Speedweeks in Daytona. Truex was fast from the moment they unloaded. He practiced well, and earned a 7th place starting position in the Sprint Unlimited. Martin finished a respectable 13th. Qualifying was the following day, and unfortunately, Truex wasn't allowed to compete for the pole position in the 500. The 78 Camry failed inspection due to a roof flap issue which was deemed an “action detrimental to stock car racing”. The team was not able to make the necessary corrections to the car in time to allow Truex to make a qualifying attempt. Crew Chief Cole Pearn was placed on probation for the rules infraction until December 31, 2016. Martin competed in the Can-Am Duel 2 and finished 14th, earning a 28th starting position for the Daytona 500.

The Daytona 500 took place on February 21, and NASCAR'S biggest race of the year did not disappoint. In this writer's opinion, it was one of the better 500s I've seen in several years. Truex wasted no time moving from the back of the field. By lap 11, he was up to 14th. By lap 27, Martin had worked his way into the top 10, and would stay in the top 10 for the rest of the race. Toyota had never won a Daytona 500 title, and Truex, along with Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth, were the class of the field. It seemed inevitable that this would indeed be Toyota's year. The lead would change several times before the end of the race, which saw Hamlin barely beating Truex to the line. It was the narrowest margin of victory in Daytona 500 history. “I did all I could do”, Truex said after the race. It was an exciting and thrilling finish to a great day of stock car racing. I'm sure it was also very disappointing for Martin, and probably a bit heartbreaking to be so close to the win of a lifetime. But Truex can hold his head high, cause he drove one heck of a race! Second place is nothing to be ashamed of!! MTJ is a talented plate racer, and no doubt will get another opportunity to win the Great American Race!!!

NEWS OFF THE TRACK:After a 17 month battle with ovarian cancer, Martin's girlfriend Sherry Pollex announced on January 11 that she had completed her final chemotherapy treatment. Congrats Sherry! Wishing you all the best!!! Truex has expanded his Martin Truex Jr Foundation to focus on both pediatric and ovarian cancer.